Adamantine
by Mara-DragonMaster
Summary: "If there had been information they wanted, or if they held him for a ransom, he would have something to hold to. Something to ground him. Something to fight. But this was revenge, pain for the sake of pain, which meant no escape, no bargain, no hope. Even the hope of rescue had been torn from him…"
1. Chapter 1

**So this story is really just an excuse for some good H/C and whump, and a little brother and team bonding. It will only be two chapters long, and hopefully I'll get the next chapter finished sooner rather than later! **

**Read a bit and then enumerate a bit. :-)  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

He was dreaming; pleasantly, for once, though about what he was sure he wouldn't remember. Until an ear-splitting scream suddenly sent him tumbling from his cot, shooting to his feet to look around his bare cell in a ready crouch. He was alone, and yet the screaming didn't stop. Loki grabbed his head and squeezed his eyes shut. It was splitting his mind, sobbing for breath, an indecipherable plea in the sound as the voice was raised again and again.

Loki's eyes flew open. A shock cut its way through him, and awoke in him a natural desperation and emotion long forgotten in the fog of anger and revenge. Yet his mind didn't comprehend it that far; he only knew one thing:

He knew that voice.

He flew to transparent wall of his prison and began to beat at it, his head still full of the screaming, the voice reaching helplessly for him—and then it abruptly stopped. He began to scream himself:

"_BRING ME ODIN! BRING ME THE KING! WHERE IS ODIN?!_"

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

"Wait…_what_ happened?!"

The flickering form of Odin looked haggard as he faced the Captain of America. His one eye holding steady even as the lines around it deepened. "_He was taken_."

"I don't understand." Banner said, pushing his glasses up, his eyes unfocused as he tried to wrap his head around the news. "I thought this was a meeting with a potential ally. He went because they have had dealings with Asgard before, and would be more likely to trust him than any of us."

"It was a trap." Natasha said quietly, folding her arms as the line between her brows showed itself.

"Yeah, but a trap for whom? For him, or for just any of us?" Tony asked, hands moving as he walked the perimeter. "They asked for a meeting with the Avengers. Not Thor."

Grimly, Odin shook his head. His mouth was a thin line. "_I am afraid,_" he said in a low, harsh voice. "_That is not the case._"

"What?" Tony blinked, his face neutral.

"_The very fact that they claimed to be a race that Asgard was familiar with, cloaking themselves as allies and friends, is proof enough._" The king explained. "_They knew from our past dealings with that race that he would be the one sent, to set the foundation for your world to build its allegiance upon._"

"Who are 'they'?" Natasha asked.

"_An ancient race long thought gone from life. It would seem a few survived._"

"Why him?"

Odin paused. "_It was I who destroyed them._" he said quietly. "_They were laying waste to world after world, destroying entire peoples. We drove them back, but they were relentless, rising to kill even when only a handful were left. A bloodthirsty race, remorseless, with a great love for conquest and cruel subjugation._" He looked upon them gravely, and though his expression was as controlled as ever they could see the anger and great fear in the father's one eye. "_When they chose to keep a prisoner, it was not to put them in a cell under lock and key. They do not hold for ransom. The interrogations…only prolonged the inevitable._"

The unsaid was perhaps the loudest resounding words in the silence that followed. Clint's eyes narrowed and grew sharp, darkening, and Natasha's always grim face grew grimmer still. Banner closed his eyes and pinched them and his nose with his fingers, as though he could erase the images rising in his mind with the act. Steve remained frozen, in movement and expression, thinking back to the horrors he had seen during the war. And Tony—always upbeat, flippant Tony—had gone stone faced, his eyes hardening into flint.

It had been two weeks since Thor had left for the 'ambassadorial' mission. A mission expected to last a month.

Two weeks.

"What tipped you off that _your son_ was taken?" Tony asked, his tone calm and yet gritting.

"_Loki._"

That was not the answer anyone had been expecting.

"_He began to call for me from his cell. It is not always uncommon, for prisoners to do such in isolation, looking for mercy from their king._" Odin said wryly, and then his expression fell. "_It was a full day before I at last answered him. He had heard Thor's…_" He paused, glancing to one side as emotion welled up, and he swallowed and bared his teeth, gaining control. "_The screaming had begun suddenly in the middle of the night. For a few minutes only, but it was enough._"

"I don't understand." Steve said, tipping his head and narrowing his eyes.

"_Thor and Loki have always had a strong bond. It used to be easy, as some things are, for them to sometimes connect in thought and mind and share silently. As they grew into adult years Loki's talents in that area increased with his skill in magic, but for Thor it lessened. Till it seemed to be mostly gone, a loss felt keenly by both._" He paused. "_For Thor to make the connection…for the situation to be…_"

Again the unsaid hung heavily in the air.

"What can we do?" Steve asked. His frozen shock was gone, and he was once more the strong, determined Captain who had successfully led the Avengers team for years now.

"_I need you to save him._"

The request was all the more poignant in its quiet, whispered words.

"Us?" Tony exclaimed. "Why not you? What about you and your glorious golden army?"

Odin bared his teeth. "_They have cast a spell over their end._"

"Translation, please." Clint said shortly.

"_They have spelled the path to their world, and fixed it upon our kind, so that any Asgardian who attempts to cross will immediately burn upon reaching the other end._"

Banner widened his eyes and blew out a slow breath.

Steve crossed his arms, his gaze calculating and thoughtful. "Can you get us there?" he asked.

Odin's image flickered, and then he nodded. "_And bring you back. But you must understand…their portals are closely guarded. I can open one of my own, but it must be far from their city, or else you will have no chance. They would destroy you the instant you arrived._"

"Understood." Steve said, and snapped up straight, a soldier ready to go to war. "Give us an hour. We'll wait for you in the usual place at the top of the tower."

Odin nodded, and then looked at each Avenger in turn. "_Thank you._" he said, and his voice grew heavy and choked on the last word.

"We'll bring him back, sir." Banner said quietly.

With a final nod, Odin's image flickered out. He was gone.

Steve turned. "We need a plan."

"A quick strike would be best." Clint said. "In and out. Don't try to take the enemy out."

"Just a nabn'grab." Tony finished, nodding. "With a distraction. One person to zoom in and pluck Thor out while the others sport and consort mayhem in all her glory."

"And that should be you. Doing the nabn'grab." Steve said.

"No, that should be you, mister indestructable-not-even-Thor's-hammer-can-dent-him . Better protection."

"Better speed." Steve countered, pointing at Tony. "You have the suit. You fly in, grab him, and fly out."

"But I'm better at bombing the bad guys."

"Look…"

"I'll give you one of my suits, okay?" Tony said.

"I don't know how to use them." Steve insisted firmly. "Besides, I'm sure there'll be plenty of guards that will need blasting on your way to Thor."

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

It was cold. So cold that he thought his bones might crack.

Strange. Not so long ago it had been the other way around. Heat that should never be allowed to exist roaring through and over his body like a raging wildfire, consuming all in its path without mercy.

Yet they had left him alone now for several hours, long enough for the temporary heat to leave, long enough for the cold of the stone he was chained to to seep into his limbs, cracking along his bones and pooling in his joints.

He would be rescued. Somehow, someday, it would happen. He just had to keep himself sane—safe—intact until then. Let them do what they would to his physical self; but let his mind go untouched.

Somehow.

Something moved, and then before he could react a strong, rough hand grabbed his matted and bloody hair and pulled his head back, shoving it against the stone wall, the grip so tight it made his swollen eyes sting. He flinched. Not because of the pain, but because of the touch. Any touch meant more…and he wasn't sure how much 'more' he could take.

Warrior he was. Torture and pain he had endured. But nothing like this. Nothing at all like this.

He had to guard his mind; he was so close, so in danger of losing it already…

He would rather die with it than without.

He opened his eyes; bright, gem-like azure all the more brilliant when surrounded by the filth and red. They were hard as they gazed upon his tormentor.

Unrelenting.

The creature—almost like a man, but with too much beast and monster to be truly a man—laughed, his wide, tattooed mouth opening and spreading in a pleased smile.

"Still you have heart! Still I can see your strength!" he said, his voice richer and deeper than the deepest mountain caverns. It would have been a beautiful thing to listen to if it hadn't come from 'him'. If it hadn't the remorseless tone to it. "I am very glad. It has been far too long since we've had any true strength among us." A harsh hand touched the side of Thor's face, and he pulled back, from the sting of the touch against his wounds and the abhorrence of the touch itself. "Most creatures are too frail for our use…we have to be so delicate in our dealings with them, if they are to last beyond a day. But you…" That sharp grin again, far too wide, too close to Thor's face. "With you we do not need to hold back. It is very…satisfying."

The creature breathed in deeply, as though to savor the foul scent of filth and blood and sweat that surrounded him. He turned and went to the stone shelf in the wall, as long and wide as a table, and he made his selection. Then he turned.

Thor's weakening legs trembled, bracing when he saw.

_Father! Save me! I am strong…_

_…but I do not know if I'm this strong!_

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Show up, create all kinds of chaos and mayhem while Tony rescues Thor, and then get out as fast as possible.

That was the plan.

It was a good plan. Lacking in details, perhaps, but with plenty of wiggle room for the unexpected.

Tony liked lots of wiggle room.

The moment the portal opened again and he could see a great expanse of mountains and harsh foliage he hit his thrusters, bursting out of the brilliance of the portal and into the tangible. Behind and around him were his teammates, hunched low over their riders—supplied by Shield and improved upon by Tony himself—their faces grim and dark.

"_We'll go in first. Stark, you move in once the action starts._" Steve's even voice ordered over the coms.

"Aye aye, Captain." Tony quipped, and hit his thrusters again.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Thor gasped for breath desperately, the action harsh and sporadic. A wordless sound was carried on every breath as he tipped his head back against the wall, eyes closed tight and his teeth clenched and bared.

Then for a few minutes the breathless sound ended, replaced by something much more terrible.

Those minutes were few, but they seemed unending, stretching out so that every moment was marked with the silent plea 'Stop! Stop stop stop…let it stop…!' And when it did stop he returned to his struggle for air.

He would not last. He had endured torture before, but nothing like this. These creatures had tasted sweet revenge with his blood, and it had stirred their hunger to impossible heights. If there had been information they wanted, or if they held him for a ransom, he would have something to hold to. Something to ground him. Something to fight. But this was revenge, pain for the sake of pain, which meant no escape, no bargain, no hope. Even the hope of rescue had been torn from him as his tormentor had explained to him, his eyes burning with bloody delight, that the portal to their world had been spelled. Should any of his kin try to cross, they would burn immediately, with nothing but ash to mark their arrival. Tears, hidden in the filth and blood on his face, had left their trails in his hopelessness and grief. He would die here, with no end to his torment, and if any rescue were attempted he would have to watch his father and a thousand warrior souls burn before him.

Yet he doubted he would have to endure that grief. It had only been two weeks. It would be another two before he was missed.

As the pain tore through him yet again, seizing his limbs and tearing through his core, he knew he would not last that long.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

The distance from their portal to the crawling city was hours. By flying. On foot it would have taken a good day and night. As they flew each member went over the information supplied to them by Odin; nothing about the current city layout, but plenty about the characteristics of the race they were about to attack, and their strength and weaknesses. How they operated.

What they were capable of.

At last the city came into view. Low to the ground, lit here and there by fires, sprawling like a giant bug's nest across the valley floor on the other side of the mountains.

Tony grimaced; how on earth was he going to find Thor amidst all THAT?!

"Jarvis," he muttered. "You have his specs?"

"_Yes, sir._" the polite voice said.

"Start looking." Tony stared in dismay as they drew closer. "And look fast."

He slowed down, dropping behind the team and letting them go in first. Darkness was falling around them fast as the light disappeared behind the mountains. That would be both an asset and a disadvantage. He would be able to move a little more freely, but it would also make finding the Thunder man much more difficult. Not to mention their escape when he did find him.

Shouts and chaos suddenly erupted, punctuated by Hulks furious roars and rapid gunfire and explosions.

"Scan, Jarvis! Scan!" Tony yelled, and his thrusters burned suddenly and brightly in the dark night.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Loki stared at the spot recently vacated just outside of his cell. He had refused to look at Odin who, after telling him of the Avengers plan, had asked him… quietly, a hope in his voice… if he would connect with Thor. To tell him. To give him hope. Instead Loki had fallen silent and looked away, standing straight with his hands clasped behind him. His pale face gave nothing away, and Odin had dropped his gaze, a father's heartbreak clear. He had hoped that Loki had begun to let go of the anger towards him.

As Odin had turned to leave, Loki had hardened himself against the tinge of remorse that had dared to raise its head. He would do as HE pleased, not as Odin pleased.

So the moment he was sure he was alone, Loki turned and strode to his cot and sat down, crossing his long legs beneath him, and he closed his eyes and turned deeply in, and then sent himself out.

He had so very little energy available…he could feel the pull on already drained reserves…

Still he pushed outward, shooting himself across time and space till suddenly he found himself in a very, very dark place. It was strange, being in someone's head and spirit, but never had he connected to something so horrifying.

The strong, invincible hammer of Asgard…curling up in his own mind like a child, begging for it to end. Believing all help and hope lost, and simply holding out for the sake of pride…and waiting for the only thing that would release him from this place, and grieving for such an end.

The pain that curled and rolled around him was like a roaring fire, like a furnace. The sounds that rose were blood curdling.

Loki wondered that the end had not already come.

With a cool, pale hand he gently reached out. There was a jolt as the touch was felt, and he quickly spoke, keeping his touch constant and soft.

"Thor. I am here."

A sobbing gasp echoed around him, and his name flittered through his mind in a broken voice, filled with such desperate relief that his long-callused heart felt, for the first time in years, the pangs and love of a brother.

_Loki…!_

"They are coming." Loki said, his voice gentle so as not to scrape agains the rawness around him. He said it again, pouring the hope and light of an end to it all into his brother. "The Avengers are coming. They will be here soon."

A flash of light around him, a pulse of hope for the first time in an eternity, and then a wet rush as the hope was truly realized…pouring around him and soaking him completely in the broken relief.

Help was coming.

Then it was gone in a whirlwind of red and pain and cracking and sharp shards, and the screaming deafened him and made Loki want to shut up his ears for the rest of time.

Instead he surrounded him, holding him tightly within intangible arms, grounding him with the strength of stone. Holding together the frayed and scattered pieces, Loki gathered them up and surrounded him completely, holding him together and closing his eyes as his name was screamed in desperation.

If only he could use his magic for more. If only he could truly be there.

He could feel the weakness begin, his reserves aching in emptiness. To continue would mean damage, and being being ill for a long, long time as his body struggled to recover. His message had been delivered; he needed to back out now, and return.

_Loki…!_

"I am here."

_I cannot…!_

"Shh…"

_Loki!_

"I am here." Loki whispered into his deepest being, breath warm against his ear. Something shifted within, and Loki settled down, his decision made. "I will stay, brother. You are not alone."

And his brother turned into him, and Loki closed his eyes and tightened his embrace as the storm continued its destruction around him.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Tony flew over the hovel tops, the scans coming at him left and right. Here and there were the ruins of medieval-esque stone buildings…like those of ancient castles…now taken over and crawling with the huge, ugly beings that seemed to be everywhere, roaring when they caught sight of him.

"Jarvis?!" Tony shouted.

"_No sign of him yet, sir._" Jarvis replied.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

His strength was fading. They had hooked a creature to his neck, a parasite, to kill him slowly…and cause more pain. For if it was poked at, or pulled, it released a toxin into the blood that made your veins burn and boil within you. A natural deterrent to its being removed from its host.

His tormentors enjoyed poking it.

'Help is coming.'

Even as his teeth threatened to crack from the tension of being clenched, even as he was sure that his skin would be blistered and peeled if he dared to look, even when his voice broke and tore and could hardly make more sound than a raw croak, even then he repeated it to himself. He held it within his heart like the greatest treasure in the world, and clung to its hope.

He was a warrior of Asgard. He was the prince of his people. As long as there was hope, he would make it.

And yet even then the torment would sometimes rise around him so thickly he could not move; till he could not think and could not breathe and just wanted it to stop, and then Loki would tighten his arms and Thor could feel his brother's embrace, holding him together till it passed, whispering comfort as his screams filled the air. More than anything—any hope or help—his brother's solid, quiet presence saved him. It had been so long since they had connected like this he had forgotten the comfort of it, and he clung to Loki as his only lifeline in this Hel.

Then he felt it. The change within, and he knew: his body would fail him before the parasite would kill him. No matter the renewed hope and determination to hold on. What was that Earth saying?

'The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak…'

"Absolute nonsense." Loki hissed in his ear. "Foolishness and lies!"

Thor tipped his head back, chest heaving.

_I am trying, brother…_

"Not hard enough, you fool." Loki took advantage of the small reprieve and adjusted his hold around Thor, making it more secure against himself, so that Thor was well supported.

Thor had forgotten how strong those slender arms were.

"Creatures… insects such as these… cannot defeat the God of Thunder! They will not!" Loki's fingers suddenly became like talons upon him, tightening and bracing. Thor refused to open his eyes to see why.

He arched in his restraints a moment later, and to the shame of his warrior pride…what little there was left at this point…there were tears in his voice as it rose with the pain.

"It will be over soon!" Loki said in his ear, a desperate, hard note to his deceivingly calm and soothing voice. His arms remained unrelenting bands as Thor jerked within them, holding his brother unto himself.

Thor wanted to believe, and did. Some would call him a fool for believing Loki, as often as Loki had played upon his sentiments in the past, but this time Thor did not care…Loki was here, and the hope he had given was enough for Thor.

And he had his brother back, if only for a short time.

_I will kill them! I will kill…_

He began to shake; they were not stopping this time. His fingers splayed in hooked and grotesque forms, unable to curl into fists. His legs were locked and unable to move; and his chest began to tighten. Every muscle, till he couldn't breathe, and his heart began to beat frantically and heavily against the constriction.

"Thor, breathe!"

_I can't…_

"BREATHE!"

He was being shaken from within, as though Loki could bring some sense back to him, but his bones were breaking and his blood was burning and Valhalla he couldn't THINK…! He gasped, and then suddenly he couldn't stop moving, straining against his chains and roaring and if he could just get away from it, then maybe he could think and breathe again…!

"It's okay!" Loki shouted over the din in his mind, over the shouted '_Stop! Stop! STOP!_' that filled him and drowned out every other sound. "It's okay! It will end soon…It'll end soon! I am here, Thor. I will not let you go. I will not let you go!"

And then it did end.

* * *

**_Tune in next time for: _**_"Now Tony sat against the wall, knees drawn up and arms casually slung over them. He sat silently as the rain poured down outside. He watched. Thor lay as still as ever, having lost the battle… _

_He hadn't moved since."_


	2. Chapter 2

**So I lied… it's three chapters. Finished the story and definitely had more than one more chapter's worth. **

**Hope you don't mind! **

* * *

_"Thor, breathe!"_

_I can't…_

_"BREATHE!"_

_He was being shaken from within, as though Loki could bring some sense back to him, but his bones were breaking and his blood was burning and Valhalla he couldn't THINK…! He gasped, and then suddenly he couldn't stop moving, straining against his chains and roaring and if he could just get away from it, then maybe he could think and breathe again…!_

_"It's okay!" Loki shouted over the din in his mind, over the shouted 'Stop! Stop! STOP!' that filled him and drowned out every other sound. "It's okay! It will end soon…It will end soon! I am here, Thor. I will not let you go. I will not let you go!"_

And then it did end.

"Thor, look."

His head rolled, his eyes swollen and aching, the lids scratching as they fluttered.

"Look! Thor." Loki insisted, gathering his floating and fallen brother into his arms, rocking as he tried to show him. "Look!"

Muted sounds—screams, roars, a strange din that his brain finally recognized as a thundering sound—filtered in through the darkness and the haze that enveloped his mind. Thor fought to open his eyes, lacking strength and ability, but Loki…Loki was insisting…what was it? A crack of vision came to him, and he saw without understanding the broken and charred bodies and the piles of shattered stone and the exploding fires and a strange red creature flying towards him in the night sky.

"I must go now."

"No!" Thor pled, shifting in his chains.

_Do not leave me…_

"Your saviors are here." Loki whispered, his breath warm against Thor's cheek. His embrace was comforting. "And I am growing weak."

_Please…_

"Sh. I will be waiting for your return, brother." Loki soothed, and then he was gone.

The absence was sudden and empty and cold. Thor gasped, fighting against the wail that rose within him. It came from a well of emotions flailed raw, he knew, and not from any rationale of the situation. How much magic and strength had Loki used, staying with him for so long? And there…that red flying creature…

Suddenly someone was in his face shouting something and hands were on Thor's face, lifting it to see… and Thor jerked with his heart startling painfully in his chest, his eyes widening in wild fear.

_No more…! Don't touch me!_

And then he realized it was Tony. Tony Stark, with his mask pulled back so that his face could be seen, his dark eyes wide with horror.

"Thor?"

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Tony didn't know what he'd been expecting. He knew it wouldn't be pretty; he knew that it would be torture. And yet somehow, with all of the mental prep he'd done, he was still shocked. He'd come blasting in on the stone ruin with everything he had, firing down at the tattooed monsters with an unexpected rage. Jarvis had finally found the god of thunder; he'd flown as fast as he could, and could see Thor chained to a wall, arms and legs spread, head thrown back as they did…whatever it was…to him. The instruments were unfamiliar, and Tony decided then and there he would like to keep it that way.

The raw screams had fueled his rage faster than a match to gas.

As he looked at Thor now he wasn't even sure the god could see him, despite the faint slits of blue that focused on him. Grime and blood covered his skin, his blond hair matted and roped with filth. And what on EARTH was that thing on his neck?!

"Great schemes of unbelievable." Tony breathed. His hands held the torn face gently, staring at it. "What have they done to you?"

Burns…cuts…burns…bruises…puncture marks…burns…

Tony shook himself. Later, later, later, he chastised silently. They had to get out _now_!

Without wasting another second Tony released Thor's head, which immediately hung again, void of any strength. With a quick few bursts from the metal-slicing lasers on the back of his gloves the chains fell away from Thor's legs, and then he turned to the chains on the arms. Tony wrapped an arm around Thor's middle and pulled them together, chest to chest, grimacing at the keening groan that action produced. "Sorry." he muttered, raising his other hand and slicing through the chains that bound Thor's wrists.

Immediately all of Thor's weight was his to bear, and Tony let the limp arms hang over his shoulders, wrapping his own arms around the body.

"Let's get out of here." he said, and they shot into the air.

Tony flew hard and fast, in a straight line for the mountains. He cleared the city in a minute, and was soon flying through the cold night air of the wild beyond, nothing but darkness around him, holding the unnervingly limp body close.

"I've got him." was all he said into the comm.

"_Everyone fall back!_" was Steve's only reply, breathless and tight.

Tony didn't wait to see if they showed or not. He kept going, straight and sure, clutching the unconscious man close. Probably more tightly than he needed to, but he wasn't taking any chances that Thor might slip. None at all.

For hours he flew, clearing the mountains and flying down their other side, down into the more tepid air and the rising mist. That was when he noticed how white Thor's skin was (what little he could see); even his lips were pale. And Jarvis, running a scan, informed him of the dangerously low internal body temperature of the Asgardian prince.

Tony found a suitable hiding spot; a space under some bedrock in the side of the mountain's foot. He landed, and the first drop of rain fell. Quickly he ducked inside, dragging his heavy charge with him, all the way into the space until they reached the back wall. It wasn't really that deep; soft dirt and grass marched all the way in and to the back—but it was dry and out of the elements, and that was enough. Tony bent to lay Thor down, grunting at the weight, and started when the motion caused a pained reaction. Realizing that Thor was actually awake he gentled his movement, carefully holding the shoulders and head until they were laying on the soft earth. Then Tony knelt down and leaned over him, his helmet pulling back and disappearing.

"Hey, Point Break." He said, carefully pulling tangled blond strands off of Thor's face where they'd stuck in the crusted places, grimacing when they'd still stick and pull and he had to work them lose. It didn't take long, and Thor seemed easier with his face clear, blinking slowly with a quiet, hardly noticeable sigh. Tony liked being able to see his face much better, too. "There." he said, sitting back on one foot. "Now let's take a look at you."

He carefully reached for Thor's head yet again, and turned his face to get a better look…and was rewarded with a hiss from Thor and the sight of an insect the size of a hockey puck, pinchers clamped into the skin of Thor's neck.

"That is the biggest, ugliest tick I've ever seen." Tony said, mouth curling in disgust. "Why…?"

"It's…parasite…" Thor whispered, his voice as dry and cracked as his lips.

"So it kills you. Okay." Tony nodded, staring at it calculatingly. "So how do I…?" He waved his hand.

"Pull…slowly…"

"So like a tick." Tony said with a shrug, and then he blew out a breath and sniffed, readying himself to grab the nastiest bug he'd ever come across. He was surprised when a strong hand…weakened though it was…grabbed his wrist just as he reached for it. Thor's face was unchanged, but his eyes were suddenly very visible and very, very blue. Tony froze; he recognized fear when he saw it.

"What?" he asked.

Thor licked his lips, and swallowed, and was rewarded with an easier time speaking than before. "When disturbed, it releases a toxin."

Tony jerked his hand back. "What?! You're saying…"

But Thor shook his head. Carefully. The barest of movement, and you had to be watching. "For pain." he whispered hoarsely. "To discourage…"

"Oh." Tony blinked and looked back down at the bug. It seemed much more menacing now. Did it have eyes? He couldn't see any, but he could swear it was looking at him, eyeing him menacingly, waiting for him to try just so it could turn around and… "So the toxin's not lethal."

"No."

It was the answer he wanted, but the fear had not left the thunder god's eyes, though resignation had also taken a seat.

It must be bad.

"Well I've got to take it off." Tony said. "Jarvis says you've lost a lot of blood and aren't doing too well, and I'm guessing this thing is a big reason why."

Tony put a gloved hand on Thor's chest, and Thor looked back at him, setting his jaw. With a sharp nod, Tony braced himself.

"Ready?"

Thor nodded, and turned his head, baring his neck.

The insects legs moved slightly.

Thor squeezed his eyes shut, every muscle suddenly locked and shaking.

For a moment Tony considered putting it off till they were back on Asgard, but immediately dismissed the thought, and gritting his teeth he grabbed the insect up by the head and began to pull.

A hideous hissing filled the air, and the pinchers tightened in the skin, drawing blood, and then they flexed. Almost immediately Thor's face pulled into hideous lines of pain, and his body jerked and grew tight.

"Okay, I got ya, buddy." Tony said quietly, unblinking as he stared at the insect and continued to pull, entirely focused.

The veins and cords stood out on Thor's neck as his head strained back. A strangled sound burst from him, and his hands began to grab at Tony's arm, his fingers clawing.

Tony kept the hand on his chest hard and firm, and grimly set his mouth, still pulling. "Easy. Easy." he murmured, even as the strangled sounds grew in volume and the long body began to jerk.

The insect's hissing was almost deafening, and the blood running down Thor's neck alarming, but then…suddenly and unexpectedly…the pinchers let loose with a pop and it was free. It instantly set up a screech, legs clamoring at the air and the pinchers widening hungrily. Feeling strangely _un_feeling, Tony curled his mouth in disgust and threw it against the wall. It struck the stone with a clattering sound, fell to the earth, and turned with a furious hiss, pinchers open wide and held high, and then it exploded in bits of shell and goo as Tony's laser hit it.

The puncture wounds were much bigger than any insect bite Tony had ever seen, but the bleeding was already slowing down to hardly a drop. Noting that fact took barely a moment, and his attention was then wrested to the victim himself. Thor's head was thrown back and pressed into the dirt, his body turned, intermittently arching and then curling, the long legs moving and the bare feet digging into the ground. He yelled, his teeth bared and clenched as he fought against the venom burning through his veins. Tony could barely hold him, trying to avoid the clutching hands, and finally he got the arms crossed and held over the broad chest as he lay on Thor with his full weight.

A heartrending cry tore through the rain-soaked air.

"Hold on." Tony said breathlessly, managing to free one hand to hold the straining blond head. With his own hand, the glove melting back. His fingers caught in the tangled golden strands. "Hold on, Point Break." he said in Thor's ear. "It'll stop soon.

It'll stop soon."

Soon was relative.

The venom metabolized and was gone within an hour, which was incredibly fast for a venom.

But it was the longest hour of Tony Stark's life.

By the end of it he was drenched inside his suit, sweat making his eyes sting, and he felt ill. Horribly ill. And furious. He wished, with every fiber of his being, that he could go back and finish it. Finish every last one of them. No small wonder Odin had gone after them the way he had all those years ago; maybe he could convince the All-Father to do it again. Come in with his golden army and squish the last of those monsters like ants.

Now Tony sat against the wall, knees drawn up and arms casually slung over them. He sat silently as the rain poured down outside. He watched. Thor lay as still as ever, having lost the battle towards the end. He hadn't moved since.

He wasn't often a man for reflection. About his projects and scientific theories, sure, but not about himself, or of life. Yet as he sat there and watched the still form on the ground he found himself reflecting. From the the moment they had met there had been friction between them, and he had always considered himself…in a way…better than Thor. Smart, brilliant, always with a plan…or a semblance of one, anyway. Thor was just a spoiled prince, with a fancy lightning hammer and a brother as crazy as a gecko who he wouldn't give up on. Who he mourned for.

And yet…

Tony's thoughts wandered back to years earlier, when he had learned that Obadiah had been the one to have him captured, had tried to kill him. For all it was worth, family betrayal.

Tony knew the pain of that kind of betrayal.

How much more so had it been for Thor, when he had a thousand years of close family love and brotherhood only to have had it ripped to shreds in a matter of days?

And now this.

Sand and dark, cold caves and days of helplessness filled Tony's memory despite his best efforts.

Well, shoot.

Thor stirred. Tony sat up quickly, laying a hand on Thor's chest, feeling the heart beat beneath his palm.

"Thor?"

The prince shifted his long form stiffly, painfully, a sigh escaping. Slowly his head turned, his eyes struggling to open, managing to open a crack, bleary and unfocused.

Tony's hand shifted slightly as he adjusted his sitting position.

Thor jerked violently away, hands hitting Tony's arm…weak hits, but convicted ones…his eyes wild with immediate fight or flight.

"Whoa! It's just me." Tony exclaimed, catching a broad shoulder and staying close despite the fists ready to strike. Blue eyes stared at him, bright with fear and fury. "Just me, Point Break." He said again, gently pushing the hands down.

Thor laid back, matted hair spread under him, and he stared at Tony as he caught his breath, breathing carefully through his nose. Adrenaline made him shake, and as it receded he shook more, a sick feeling spreading through his limbs. He closed his eyes, swallowing. He knew it would pass; he hated it anyway.

"You okay?"

The quietly spoken question made him open his eyes, looking at the face close to his own, gazing down at him with dark-eyed concern. It wasn't often that Tony looked like that; grim faced and lined, tension in the angles and dark seriousness in the eyes.

Tony Stark.

In a cave, not by a wall.

It was raining. And quiet.

It was over.

Warmth spread to his eyes, a thick constriction closing his throat and making it impossible to draw a steady breath of air. Relief at being free and safe and shame at his sudden weakness—in front of the Man of Iron—filled him till he couldn't say which was stronger. Then the relief and other harsh emotions won out, and he turned his face away, closing his eyes as more warmth rushed free, running down his face.

A hand—a warm, solid hand—laid on his shoulder, holding it gently.

It took several tries, but at last he managed to whisper thickly: "Forgive me."

The fingers on his shoulder tightened, their hold growing more firm, grounding him. "I know." And the voice that spoke it was low and harsh sounding, as though fighting its own emotion. "Believe me." And then: "Look at me. Hey," a hand touched his head and turned it, and Thor shakily opened his eyes, mouth pressed thin as more hot tears rolled free with the movement. "Look at me." The usual light in Tony was gone, replaced by something else. An understanding weariness.

"You just got off of two weeks of real-life horror movie stuff." Tony said. "Thinking help wasn't coming and being unable to do a thing about it."

Thor pressed his eyes closed. Just for a moment. Trying to quell another, heavier rush of emotion that made him want to curl up in misery.

"Point is, give yourself a break." Tony whispered. "I get it."

The hand on his shoulder began to rub, just a little. Just enough give Thor something tangible to hold onto as he rode it out, waiting for it to end, and struggling to regain composure with what small shreds of strength he might still have.

Then Tony was talking to someone over a device in his suit, assuring them they were not lost and would be on their way soon…they had to make a stop…and then Thor realized he was drifting and had no control over it. Everything was spinning and he could not feel the ground beneath him anymore.

"Hey! Point Break! THOR!"

Something jarred him and shook him slightly, and Thor pulled in a painful breath, opening his eyes and blinking as he struggled to bring Tony's face into focus. The Man of Iron was holding his head again, brushing his hair back, looking into his face with an expression of growing concern.

"You with me?"

_Yes._

_I think._

Thor tried to voice the words, but all that came out was a low groan. The longer he laid there the more the pains of his body made themselves known in separate and distinct ways. His flesh burned and stung. His bones ached and flared.

Something was not right within. Sharp and tender and growing more so as time passed.

"Come on, buddy." Tony's voice suddenly grew in volume as his helmet closed over his head, leaving his face open. He was close, very close, leaning over Thor and slipping his hands under Thor's shoulders. "Let's go."

The ground left him, and the earth shifted, and Thor felt himself start to spin. Nothing was up or down anymore, taking away his breath as pain flared through his body. His throat burned as a sound grated through it, and immediately two bands tightened themselves around his body, trapping him upright against something hard and solid. Even then Thor felt like he was about to spin off into nothing. His legs struggled to hold his weight, but they were completely lacking in strength and folded beneath him.

Inside something shifted, and what had been sharp and tender flared white hot. He heard shouting, and then things spun out of control.

When he came back to himself the wind was whipping his hair over his face, flowing like liquid ice over his skin, and there was the sense of there being nothing at all beneath him, or to either side. His arms were laid out across something hard, and he opened his hands and gripped it, knuckles turning white, squeezing his eyes shut and groaning. The pain inside had become a hot, breathtaking burn, making every attempt to breathe sharp and quick and shallow.

The hard bands that had encircled him before were still around him, and they tightened at his movement and sound.

"Easy there, Point Break. We're almost there."

And then there was energy crackling through the air, and then a sudden jerk and pull that made the burn within cut through him, and Thor's world went black.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Tony burst into the Observatory in a whirlwind, barely registering the faces of his team as they waited for his arrival, not even sparing a second glance for the Gate Keeper and the concerned mother and father who waited, or the warrior friends behind them. He shot past them and out over the bridge, cutting an air-borne path to the golden city that rose beyond.

"_Searching for medical quarters, sir._" Jarvis said, scans popping up faster than Tony could read them.

Tony didn't answer, just added more burn to his thrusters, clutching his cold and limp charge against him.

Thor was dying.

He had given Thor another look over after he had collapsed on him in the cave. Any and all of the injuries were killing him, but the horrible bruising of his stomach had caught Tony's eye, and when he had felt it, it was tense and rigid.

Not good.

He had scooped Thor up and made for the portal like a bat. So to speak.

"_Medical quarters located, sir. Would you like a map?_" Jarvis said, popping up a scan.

"Guide me there." Tony snapped breathlessly, arms tightening around the limp form held against him.

"_Yes, sir._" If it was possible, there was tension in the AI's voice.

The Asgardian healers looked up in startled shock when Tony burst in through their window, but it lasted only a moment when they saw their prince in his arms. Tony landed, and was immediately surrounded. A dozen arms carefully, gently, swiftly took Thor's weight from him, cradling the Prince and carrying him over to the medical bed in the center of the room, Tony explaining as best he could about some of the injuries and the tick-thing he had removed.

It was chaos from that moment on.

Tony couldn't even tell what was going on, there were so many healers moving to and fro and bending over the chillingly still figure, and he was gently but quickly ushered out of the room, and the door was closed.

Alone in the hall (except for the guards stationed there), erratically pacing back and forth…that was how his team and Thor's family and friends found him. Odin briefly shared a tense look with him, and then led his wife into the room, the door closing behind them.

"How is he?" Steve asked. Asking the question burning in the expressions of the other seven people behind him.

Tony grimaced, spinning to pace in the other direction. "He's dying." he said shortly, glancing at the Captain.

His team shifted uneasily, and Thor's friends had varying looks of horror and grief.

"But this is Thor." Clint said, his empty quiver loose on his back, his now-useless bow hanging at his side. "He'll make it."

"You didn't see him!" Tony snapped, and then turned away sharply, clenching his teeth as he regained his composure. "You didn't see him." he said more quietly. Then he turned, and his eyes were burning. He pointed at them, making his point: "We ever get the chance," he gritted. "We are blasting those guys right out of existence."

* * *

**_Tune in next time for: _**

_"He could feel Thor's presence in Asgard. 'So the prince has returned at last.' he thought, opening his eyes. Yet it was so weak… Loki waited, giving the healers time to do their work, before attempting anything more. Waited for that weak flicker to grow a bit stronger._

_Three days passed._

_Something was wrong. Loki was still not anywhere near his full strength—or what passed for it these days—but he laid back and closed his eyes, and carefully sent himself out._

_It was dark. And quiet. Too quiet. Loki turned around, eyes scanning, looking._

_Where was Thor?"_


	3. Chapter 3

**The last chapter. I hope it suits… if not, please don't hesitate to tell me. I am all ears! **

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Loki lay on his cot, wrapped in a warm blanket to ward off the chills that had shaken him, a tray of hot medicinal tea on the small table beside. He knew that word of his condition had reached Odin, and that the All-Father knew what he had done. In fact the king had visited him for a few minutes, a quiet presence in the shadows, watching quietly as Loki had slept. Gratefulness emanating from him in a constant wave.

Loki found he didn't mind.

He could feel Thor's presence in Asgard. 'So the prince has returned at last.' he thought, opening his eyes. Yet it was so weak… Loki waited, giving the healers time to do their work, before attempting anything more. Waited for that weak flicker to grow a bit stronger.

Three days passed.

Something was wrong. That flame should have grown by now. Loki was still not anywhere near his full strength—or what passed for it these days—but he laid back and closed his eyes, and carefully sent himself out.

It was dark. And quiet. Too quiet. Loki turned around, eyes scanning, looking.

Where was Thor?

"Brother?"

There was a shift around him, a stirring at his voice.

"Thor."

_Loki._

It was quiet, too quiet. Muffled, as though he were in a corner somewhere.

Loki slowly lowered himself, hands resting casually together as he crouched. Patiently waiting. "So you _are_ back. You gave everyone quite a scare, you know." He looked around. "Then again, you always did like making a dramatic entrance."

That earned him a huff, weak though it was.

"You need to wake up, brother." Loki said.

But Thor shook his head, and the rawness and exhaustion surrounded Loki like a pool, draining and drowning in its unmoving depths.

"I know it is difficult." Loki said quietly. "But you must."

_Not yet. I need…more time._

"I'm afraid you don't have it." Loki reached out and tried to touch him, trying to soothe and still the nervous movements. "You are dying, Thor. If you continue to hide your body will fail. You must fight."

Thor's blue eyes gazed upon him, glittering in the dark, and faded and dull.

_Fight?_

Thor turned his head, and the small laugh was thick enough it might have been something else entirely, but Loki chose to ignore it. His brother was not so broken. He would not let him be.

Slowly, as though approaching an injured animal, Loki drew closer. "Yes. Fight. I know you can."

_I have fought for so long…_

"You must continue."

_I am so tired, Loki._

He knew; he knew better than almost anyone. The weariness that plagued the spirit, till it was past caring and would do anything for respite and reprieve. To rest at last…it was a hard thing to let go of.

"I know." he whispered, and touched his brother. Kept the touch constant, feeling the slow flow of energy. His eyes tightened. "I know. But to rest like this is to quit. And you are not a quitter."

Nerves flailed and frayed to the point of bleeding flinched around him at the thought of entering the world again, where there would be more pain before there was less. And would the raw nerves be able to handle that? When even the thought of it made them tremble?

Now Loki was before him, close enough to feel his breath, and he held Thor so that his brother had to look at him, blue eyes looking into Loki's green eyes which were bright with memory and empathy. "I understand." he murmured. "I know it is unfair."

And then Thor looked at him and heard what was not said, what memory was in Loki's eyes, and with his emotions already so exposed the guilt and the grief poured out of him and over Loki like a tidal wave, soaking him till he felt drowned.

Sometimes, Loki truly wished Thor did not feel so much…

And then he was the one being touched. In the strong hand, its weight on his arm gentle and heavy, there was a hesitant glow and a warmth that seeped into Loki and replaced some of the cold he had felt for so long. A pale flicker of the comfort he had craved and waited for and prayed for during that year of captivity. That year of darkness.

_Forgive me…_

"For what? Not being there?" Loki put a laugh into the hushed words, but it was hollow.

_If I had known, I would have been._

Loki paused. He looked at his brother, felt the truth like a quiet pulse around him, and realized it was so.

That was his brother. That was the depth of Thor's love.

Swallowing, Loki pushed these reflections aside. They were diverting; they did not have the time to divert.

"You cannot stay here." he said quietly.

The reaction was immediate. The flinch so quick and hard that Loki flinched as well. Remembered blood and fire and cracking and despair flickered and pulsed around him, and his face fell in empathy. He reached out, and held Thor's face.

"It will be okay." Was all he said, and then he closed his eyes, and poured everything he had out till it filled the air and swirled around them. He could feel Thor shaking as every memory of the last two weeks spilled out in horrifying detail, every day and every moment, and with a roar Thor pushed at Loki, rivers on his face, but Loki did not let go, gritting his teeth, as strong and unbending as an iron band. And every memory he dredged forth he drained and faded till it was a grey shadow, as harmless and intangible as mist, and nothing more.

He could not remove them. But he could do this.

He expected to feel his strength fading; he expected to feel his reserves aching and hollow. And yet he felt full. He felt strength, magic and energy filling him until there was no room left—as though he had tapped into a sudden, unexpected, limitless well.

The memories came faster, and as a moan reached his ears he crooned softly, his eyes still closed, his forehead resting gently upon Thor's. "Almost done." he whispered.

And then the lights went out, the flashing ended, and a silence surrounded them. It was an easy silence now. Soothing, like the quiet of early morning. Thor relaxed, every vestige of tension draining from him and disappearing. His breaths were easy and deep, the hard lines in his face fading.

Loki grinned as the blue gaze opened and flickered up to his.

"Wake up now, brother." Loki said, and patted him. "It is safe."

And then with a wink and a flash, he was gone.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

Thor opened his eyes.

His mother was there, her beautiful, strong face wet with tears, her eyes changing instantly from grief, brightening like the morning sun, and she smiled, catching his face with her slender hands.

His father was there, looking older than Thor had ever seen him, his one eye so faded and drained that it seemed but a pale grey now. Seeing his son looking upon him, however, Odin immediately straightened and came closer, bending close, a weathered hand on Thor's golden head, the blue returning to his eye as though life itself were returning.

"My son." he whispered.

"Father." Thor rasped, not daring to move. "Mother."

"Thor!" Frigga breathed, smiling through the crystal on her face. "You've come back to us!"

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

The creatures were found. They were found to be raising an army, intent on beginning their terrors again, furious that the Odinson had been taken from them. Finally finding a back door, unspelled and unprotected, Odin and his golden army poured through upon the city unmercifully, sending the creatures scattering.

They did not make it far.

A month passed. Slowly, surely, steadily; and every day was a little easier, and he grew a little stronger. His warrior friends visited always, coming often with the Avengers, bringing tales of the days antics and happenings with them.

It would seem the two groups had formed a close friendship. It made Thor glad.

When he was able to walk without assistance—if he walked slowly and carefully—and no longer needed a healer with him at all times—just in case—then, at last, he quietly and without announcement made the visit he had been desiring to make since he opened his eyes.

The way was long. Very long. And his legs were not yet to their full strength; by the time he arrived, walking slowly and stiffly, his muscles burned and were horribly weary, trembling with every step.

But he was here.

With his true eyes he beheld the face of the figure sitting against the wall, head leaning back, arms draped casually over upright knees. Thor laid an hand on the clear wall, pressing the palm of it as flat against the surface as he could, and he leaned upon it, grateful for the support. The wall was cool against his forehead.

"You should sit down before you make a fool of yourself."

Thor huffed quietly, the corner of his mouth lifting. "I've been considered a fool for years already, brother."

"Small wonder." Loki snorted, his eyes still closed. "Who else would walk into a Midgard pet shop and demand to be given a pet large enough to ride?"

He laughed, looking down at the memory. When he raised his gaze again Loki had opened his eyes and was looking at him.

"Loki…" Thor began, pausing as his mouth started and tripped over his words. Wanting to say the right thing, and not even sure what it was. How to express everything he wanted to say.

Loki continued to sit, unmoving, his face a curious, unreadable mask as he waited.

"What you did," Thor said quietly, staring into Loki's green gaze. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Loki rolled his shoulders, adjusting his seat against the wall.

"Then what shall I do? Tell me, so I can properly show you." Thor set his other hand to the wall, wishing desperately for the closeness of before. That connection. With no wall between them. As he tried desperately to think of how else he could SAY it (for Loki was one for words, after all) he began to ramble, his words following his train of thought without his realizing it. "Sif craves praise; I know what she needs and loves best is a simple statement, and then rumors of her conquest to 'inexplicably' spread so that everyone knows. Fandral likes a compliment to be made if it is somehow directed to his masculinity. And Volstagg regards any gift…especially food…as the greatest compliment…"

"Oh Valhalla, Thor!" Loki rolled his eyes, patience gone.

"And Hogun prefers no comment but a look and a nod, but WHAT…" Thor slammed his hand against the wall, the sudden thunder unexpected, and Loki jumped. "…does my brother want?" Leaning against the wall, finding his patience and ability to endure frustrations still not completely restored, Thor turned his blue eyes upon his brother, burning as bright as twin stars. "Teach me, Loki!" he said. Frustrated and begging. "How do you best know praise? How do you best understand appreciation? Teach me!"

It was not what he had wanted to say. At all. They were hardly the finely crafted words that would convey his thanks and love to the Silver-Tongued god, or convince him to be open and sharing.

His legs shook beneath him, and wearily he slid to the floor, sitting, his shoulder and head resting against the clear wall. He closed his eyes, and rested. The only words he had left were the ones he had already tried to give a dozen times; words of togetherness, and brotherhood, and love.

They were not the words Loki wanted.

"Keep your teasing to yourself."

Thor opened his eyes, staring aghast at Loki, who had his head lowered, looking at his hands. After all they had been through recently, did he truly…?

Loki looked up, and then rolled his eyes in exasperation. "No, you moron." he griped. "You and the others are overly fond of jesting amongst yourselves. It is…unappreciated, when directed at myself."

Thor's brows pulled together. "You know nothing is meant."

_It is your own insecurities that give them meaning._

The corner of his mouth quirked. "Perhaps." Loki admitted ruefully. "But nonetheless…"

Thor clambered to his knees, ignoring the unsteadiness of his limbs. "Then what, brother?"

"Give me praise." Loki gestured with his hands, and Thor saw…or hoped he saw…the wonderful light of his brother once more in those green eyes, patiently explaining something to him as he had when they were still in school. "Do not mock me when my silver tongue fails…jest though you mean it…but praise me when it works. When it saves us from your hot-headed foolishness. When it soothes and restores a situation going quickly south. When my magic and my 'tricks' help win the battle. Tell me of my skill, and tell others, so that they do not mock me either. So that I am seen as worthy."

He could do that. Knowing, now, what would mean most to his brother, he could do it.

And then he realized his brother had used present and future tenses for all of his words (was it hope, at last?), and he had to hold back the flush of exultation, holding a sudden, broad smile in check. He settled for a small smile, and nodded. "I will."

Tipping his chin, Loki leaned back once more, eyeing Thor speculatively. "Does this mean I am forgiven?" he asked with a smirk, indicating his prison with a flick of his eyes.

Thor smiled, but did not answer.

"No, I suppose a few moments of brotherly bonding are not enough to erase everything." Loki finally said, knowing full well that whether or not his family forgave him and he his family, his actions were his own, and he had to atone for them.

It was a harsh admittance, but this past month he had found himself doing some unwilling reflection. And with that admittance something—some lock, or restraint (one of many he had crafted himself with his anger and resentment) within his chest had let loose, and he had been able to move and breathe a little easier. It was a surprise to him, to find what he had done freeing, and that had given him more to reflect on.

There was silence, then, as neither brother looked at the other.

Loki started when the silence was quietly broken.

"I do not understand how you were able to do what you did, nor how you did it for so long…what sacrifice you made to stay with me…but I know it must have taken great skill, and great strength."

Loki looked up quickly. He could see the heart and meaning of the words in Thor's eyes, and also the faint worry that the words would not be accepted. Again.

But Loki smiled. A small one, barely turning his mouth, and yet it was a true smile, the light reaching his eyes. "But of course." he said jauntily. "I _am_ a Master, after all."

Thor laughed.

Loki leaned back; it was a good sound.

"I would not have made it without you."

Loki shrugged. "Isn't there another Earth saying? 'Can't live with me, can't live without…'"

There was no answer. He looked over and saw how Thor leaned against the wall, weariness in his face.

He frowned. "You look terrible."

"Better than you."

He inwardly grinned; so like his brother, to grumble when he was weak. He was a man of action; being ill or injured never suited him well. "You should go back, Thor." he said. "You need your rest, and they will be missing you."

"I have had enough rest."

"Thor…"

Blue eyes met his flatly, and Loki realized what it was. "So there are still dreams."

Thor's face closed, and he looked away. "Only the semblance of them. My mind wakes me with remembered fear, though the cause of it is far away in time and memory."

"This is a natural course. Whatever I did, I could not erase it completely without taking you with it."

"I know." Thor swallowed. "You saved me twice, Loki." he paused. "The Man of Iron…he stayed, this past month. When others slept. He understands. But they shall be returning to Midgard, come the morning, and I no longer 'require' constant companionship." His head rolled on the wall, and he looked at Loki tiredly. "I dread the absence of those I love." he said quietly.

For being a man of action, Thor was surprisingly adept with words, Loki realized, recognizing the unsaid message. He nodded, his face a mask of thoughtfulness, and there was silence for a long time.

Thor settled into a brooding wait.

"Despite your comment on my appearance, I am sufficiently recovered." Loki quipped suddenly, a touch of offense in the tone. "And I would hate for our touching moment to fade into the dust of history." He tilted his head, moving his face into one of consideration. "And it is not across the galaxies…only a few levels through the castle…"

Thor's eyes pricked with light, and he straightened.

"Of course if you tell our father of any of this, I will have to deny everything and claim you cursed and insane from your unfortunate experience. You lost the ability long ago, after all."

Thor laughed.

And Loki smiled.

* * *

~AVENGERS~

* * *

**_The End.  
_**


End file.
